MEDIA
RELEASE
16 April 2015
Artists unite in support
Well-known Canberra painter and sculptor, ‘Byrd’, is one of over twenty local artists donating artwork for the
VanuARTu art auction on Thursday 14 May at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre.
Other artists donating work for auction include Alex Asch, Mariana del Castillo, Paul Summerfield, Ian Robertson,
G.W. Bot, Adele Rae Cameron, Barak Zelig, Fredrika Rose, Melinda Young and Annika Harding.
The fundraising event – initiated by Tuggeranong Arts Centre’s CEO, Rauny Worm and Visual Arts Program
Manager, Narelle Phillips – is set to raise over 10 thousand dollars to help rebuild Vanuatu after Cyclone Pam.
“We’ve got a fantastic range of artworks including paintings, etchings, photography, sculpture and smaller objects
such as jewellery and hand-forged knives.
“It’s great to have support from recognised Canberra artists like Byrd to help attract art lovers to the auction and, in
turn, generate funds to help our neighbours in the Pacific,” Ms Worm says.
Most recently, Byrd’s work has been seen as part of the Graffik Paint collective commissions around in the CBD’s
Tocumwal Lane and as part of a major mural project undertaken with students at Gilmore Primary School under an
artist is residency program in 2014.
Visual Arts Program Manager Narelle Phillips says Byrd auction piece Battery Hens No.12 (Palsonic) 2015 is part
of the Caged Egg series – which encourages audiences to ponder questions of context, consumerism and
redundancy – a theme close to the artists’ heart, sees him using aerosol and stencils to paint characters from his
working archive onto old TV screens.
“At once skilful and accessible, the techniques and characters in Byrd’s gallery piece are akin to his street art that
can be found in laneways in Canberra’s CBD and suburbs,” Phillips said.
Avid art collector and critic Peter Haynes will commence the auction at 6pm on Thursday 14 May. Guests are
invited to enjoy a glass of wine and preview the works from 5pm. 100% of the funds generated from the auction will
be donated to Care Australia’s Cyclone Pam appeal.
The VanuARTu exhibition will remain on show in the Tuggeranong Arts Centre Foyer Gallery until 30 May 2015.
Further information about Care and their Cyclone Pam appeal can be found at
https://www.care.org.au/appeals/cyclone-pam/
Interviews and photo opportunities can be arranged by contact Cassidy Richens on 6293 1443
Media contact: Cassidy Richens, 0405 485 288, 6293 1443 or
cassidy.richens@tuggeranongarts.com.au
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